Clandestine
by ladyviolathornhaven
Summary: "If my love for you still lives, cut away these wings. I will devote my body to evil." Based on the song and video "Himitsu -Kuro no Chikai-". PART THREE EDITED FOR A WHITE VOW.
1. Illicit Love

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vocaloid and their characters. The Vocaloid program belongs to Yamaha. In this chapter, the characters and their designs belong to Crypton Future Media, descriptions to the best of my ability. This story is based off the Vocaloid Song and PV "秘蜜〜黒の誓い〜" (Himitsu ~Kuro no Chikai~) by Hitoshizuku-P with art by Suzunosuke. Please note that this is merely my interpretation of the PV. Please do not accept this as what the story actually conveys. I do try to make scenes from the video appear, but the contents are of my interpretation.

* * *

_Clandestine_

_Chapter 1: Illicit Love_

_

* * *

_

It had been at least a day since a thunderstorm blasted through the city. The day was sunny with few clouds in the sky, evaporating the puddles of rainwater on the streets. Citizens were out walking, whether with lovers or friends, either shopping or merely enjoying the calm after the storm. The city always seemed to be its best after storms, especially with the sun being warm for the early May weather. Flowers were in bloom, adding a light fragrance to the air. For these humans, it was like walking in a dream.

For a young blonde angel, however, it was the worst possible nightmare. She was already walking through the city for probably the third time, humans heeding her no mind. '_Damnable storm,_" she cursed to herself, clutching onto her left arm. '_If it hadn't occurred, I would have been fine. Now I can't find my way back…_' The angel looked up to the sky, blue eyes narrowing in regret, '_My sincerest apologies, Big Brother…_'

Usually, she could continue walking without any problems. Humans couldn't see her or even feel her, save for some "special" ones, but they were so few and far between that the likelihood of finding one in this place was slim. However, as she walked out of the alleyway, she walked flush into something physical. The contact was great enough to push the angel back and cause her to fall on her left side onto the ground. The Cross that hung from a chain, wrapped around her hips, clattered against the brick road.

"I'm so sorry!" a musical voice, one that could easily be compared to a lyrical instrument, but with more praise, said.

The angel didn't even look up at the voice; her eyes were clenched in pain as she sat up. She grabbed hold of her shoulder, giving a pained groan.

The lyrical voice gave a gasp, "You're hurt…"

"It's none of your con—" the angel started. However, she stopped herself as she looked at the owner of the voice, heat rising across her face. She could feel herself falling deeply into those teal orbs.

'_They're…so beautiful…and their owner…she is just as beautiful…_'

The owner of the voice was a young woman, not older than her late teens. If the angel had to guess, she was probably around eighteen. Her ivory skin was flawless, free of any and all blemishes. Long teal hair was secured tightly in an updo-fashion, two braids on the sides adding a bit of decoration to the already beautiful sight. A small black headdress sat on the left side on her head, fishnet lace spreading slightly for an aesthetic effect. She was dressed in a long black dress that flared at the top of her hips. Black gloves were up to just above her elbow. The sleeves of the dress were off her shoulders, a black gauze covering her shoulders and collarbone. Around her neck was a thick black collar, a large turquoise stone sitting in the center. Just above her right breast was a faux black rose. Black lace-up boots graced her legs and feet.

The angel was made speechless immediately. She had seen many beautiful things in her lifetime, but nothing could even compare to the beauty this human _radiated_.

The human reached her right, black-gloved hand to the angel. "Would you like help?" the female said, her lyrical face and voice giving a comforting smile. "Please, take my hand."

Reluctantly, the angel gave the young woman her white, fingerless-gloved left hand, yellow nails reaching out slightly. As the blonde was pulled up, she could feel the blush cross her face, almost rising in temperature. '_Please,_' she prayed to herself, '_don't let her notice it…_'

* * *

The young woman's house was made of brick, almost exactly like every other building in the city. Daisies and pansies were starting to bloom from the flowerboxes in the windows, adding some individuality to the otherwise unremarkable building, an exact clone of the ones on either side of it. After walking up the five cement steps, a large door was opened, revealing a much more homey interior.

The teal-haired female led the angel to the living room and offered her a seat on the couch. "Please be patient just a while longer, I need to retrieve the medicine box from my washroom," she said softly.

The blonde gave a nod, and attempted to relax as the woman walked away, her hand still on her shoulder. The couch was quite comfortable; one could definitely sleep on it for extended periods of time. Perhaps a different kind of sleeping could occur on it as well…'_Gah! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why are you even thinking things like that! You've just met this woman…such thoughts should not occur!_'

It wasn't long before the black-clothed female returned, a box of bandages, gauzes, and salves in her hands. She took a seat to the right of the angel; the teal-haired woman gently inspected the area after the blonde removed her hand. "It looks like a burn…what happened to you?" she asked as she reached for the appropriate ointment.

The angel looked away from the female, choosing instead to look at a spot on the carpet. "I was caught in a thunderstorm." She tensed as the woman began to rub something on the injury, but relaxed, as it was cool and soothing.

The woman blinked her teal eyes, "The one from yesterday?" Slowly, the angel gave a nod. She was taken aback as a pair of arms wrapped around her. The pinking glow that crossed the blonde face became more of a red. "You poor thing!" the woman said softly, comfortingly. As she pulled away from the angel, she reached for gauze and lightly wrapped it around the angel's arm. "Please, feel free to stay as long as you like," she offered, a smile crossing her features again. "There's no one here besides me, and I do get quite lonely."

The angel blinked her blue eyes once…twice…and resumed to looking at that spot on the carpet. "Thank you…um…."

The woman covered her mouth, "Oh, pardon my manners! My name is Michaela. However, everyone's called me Miku for as long as I can remember, so please, use my nickname."

"Miku," the angel said, testing the name on her tongue. "Thank you, Miku. My name is Rin."

"Rin…" Miku said, letting the solitary name ring through the quiet of the house, "that's such a beautiful name. It almost reminds me of a bell."

"I think yours is much more beautiful!" Rin said quickly. The heat felt even hotter than before.

However, the blonde could notice the pinkish blush that crossed Miku's face. "…Thank you," she said softly, "Rin."

* * *

The next morning, Rin awoke in the living room to a new scent. It was something that she had never really experienced before in her life, and there were no words to describe how…delicious it was, if that was even the right word. She followed the scent to a room that Miku had shown her last night before they retired for the evening. '_She called this the dining room…and that's the kitchen, if I remember correctly,_' Rin said as she looked to were the teal-haired woman as busying herself.

Miku was standing in front of an over, pulling something out. Her long hair was, again, pulled up, although in a different fashion from yesterday: her two braids were wrapped around a bun on the back of her head. She wore a different, but just as beautiful black dress, just as long as the one from yesterday, but this time, there was a white apron over top. She stood up straighter, towel and something new in her hands. As she turned, her teal eyes smiled. "Good morning, Rin!" she said, her voice being the perfect thing for the angel to hear first thing in the morning. "I just baked some bread; would you like to have some for breakfast?"

"Break…fast? Bread?" Rin said softly. Those were new words in her vocabulary. "I was just about to step outside for my morning meal."

Rin's heart sank when she saw the slightly depressed expression on Miku's face. "You don't eat food?" the teal-haired woman said softly, a tinge of sadness just around the edges. Her heels clicked light against the ground as she walked over to the table and set the loaf down.

The blonde angel felt worst as she explained herself, "Angels don't need food in the same sense as humans do. We are given proper nutrition from the light, the water, and the air around us." She raised her blue eyes slightly to meet Miku's downcast ones, but was surprised to see the woman with a different expression.

"That's so interesting!" Miku said excitedly. "In spite of our differences, would you please join me for your meal after yours?"

Rin felt her heart skip a beat when she looked into those happy eyes. A smile crossed her lips, "Gladly, Miku."

Another beat was skipped by the angel's heart when Miku smiled as well.

* * *

Rin was taken aback when Miku gave a confused look to the white-clothed angel. "Um…is there something wrong, Miku?"

"Well," the teal-haired woman started, "how do I put this…I understand that you're not human, Rin, but your clothes…"

"Huh?" Rin said, looking down at her white outfit: a white, collared faux-vest tank revealing her midriff, a solitary armband on her left arm, fingerless white hand gloves, white shorts with two chains around her hips (one served as a belt, the other as the one to carry the Cross), thigh-high socks and white, slip-on heels with some feathers on top. "Is there something wrong with them? I know that it's not orthodox for humans, but this is normal for angels."

"No, it's just that…don't they need to be washed?" Worried that she might have felt rude, Miku quickly added, "Not that they appear dirty in anyway, but you've been wearing that since we met…and it's been three days already."

"Mmm…" Rin said as she thought to herself, "I don't recall any other angels wearing different clothes unless there was an extremely important ceremony occurring. Aside from that, we wear the same clothes everyday. I don't recall anyone else getting their clothes washed."

A somewhat skeptical look crossed Miku's face. She walked closer to the slightly shorter blonde, leaned in, and inhaled.

A blush crossed Rin's face quickly. "Wh-wha…" she stuttered, trying to find the words.

"It's so strange," Miku said as she pulled away. "We've been together for three days, yet your scent is still so…clean."

"Clean?" Rin repeated. She raised her wrist to her nose and inhaled as well, "I can't smell anything." She closed some of the distance between the two females, "But…" she said before inhaling deeply, "Miku smells very nice as well."

This time, it was Miku's turn to blush. "I probably put more effort into it that you do…although I don't typically used those scented soaps that have become so popular as of late. Perhaps I'll take a bath after doing the laundry…"

"Bath?" Rin questioned.

"It's cleansing one's body. We humans bathe to keep clean and free of dirt."

Rin thought over what Miku said. "Umm…this might sound awkward but," Rin could feel the blood rushing to her face again, "may I bathe with you? I don't fully understand what you mean, so I would like to take one to learn about it."

"That's fine," Miku said, not even skipping a beat, "I would have no problem with you taking a bath with me."

* * *

"Rin? What's wrong, dear?"

The blonde was breathing heavily when she opened the door to Miku's room. She ran from her sleep on the couch to the teal-haired woman's room as quickly as possible. Her blue eyes were wide in a mild shock, and her breathing was slightly heavy.

"Miku…I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but may I come in?"

The teal-eyed female gave a nod, and even lightly patted her white-sheeted bed. Her bed was a canopy bed with red curtains attached to each corner. The human was dressed in black negligee, her long hair down. There was a gentle wave to her hair. "What's wrong?"

Rin took a seat next to Miku. "It's just that…I've been here for a week now, and…" she knew that the next words would probably sound childish, "I've been having nightmares?"

Miku raised a teal eyebrow, "Nightmares?"

"Yes. They've been about what could happen upon my return…" Rin trailed off. Mentally, she added, '_**If**__ I return…_'

Miku looked at the blonde and gently brushed away some golden locks so she could see the angel's expression. "When I was little and had a nightmare, I would go to my parents' room and sleep with them for the night. Would you like to sleep with me?"

Rin looked over at Miku, eyes wide and face flushed.

"…Oh!" Miku gasped when she realized what she had said, her own face flushing as well. "Oh, dear me, not like that at all! To do that…without being married…it's not appropriate!" she flushed a little deeper when she considered her company, "Especially with another female…"

Rin could feel those words stab directly into her heart. "…No, I understand," she said, trying to prevent her voice from faltering. "We'll merely be sharing the bed, actually sleeping. And…you'll have to forgive my wings." Said wings spread out slightly before folding back in, almost like that of a bird's.

"Now that I think about, you've always had your wings."

"To give up one's wings is to give up one's right of being an angel," Rin said, almost proudly. "It rarely occurs that an angel will sacrifice their wings. However, if it does occur, it's in a forbidden situation."

"Forbidden?" Miku asked. Her voice wavered slightly, "How so?"

"…Miku," Rin said softly, facing the teal-haired woman, "how do you feel about me?"

"Huh? Where did this question come about from?" the human said, honestly confused.

"Please," the blonde said, almost desperately, "just answer."

"Well…I love you, Rin."

Once again, a blush crossed Rin's face.

"You're like the younger sister that I never had while growing up."

Rin noticed the tenseness that had just appeared in the air. Fortunately, Miku wouldn't be able to notice if those were her true thoughts.

"…I see. We view each other the same way."

'_Lies._'

"I view you as an older sister as well, Miku," Rin said while attempting to give a convincing smile.

'_No, you don't. You're in love with Miku. You've loved her since the day you two met._'

* * *

It was a quiet day at the house. The two females were sitting on the couch; Miku working on embroidery while Rin watched carefully. It was a simple design: a few flowers, some words woven into a proverb… Rin really didn't heed any mind to what was actually being done. Her blue eyes were much more focused on the woman doing the work.

She'd been here for just over a week now, and she'd since come to terms with her feelings. Despite the lie she told teal-eyed human that night, she wanted to let Miku know of her feelings. However, to confess such emotions…it was the most forbidden act she would commit, and she could lose everything.

The sound of the doorbell tore her from her thoughts. She watched as Miku turned to look at the clock. "Oh! I forgot about…" she drifted off before turning her attentions to the blonde, "Rin, would you stay here for a while? I need to take care of business."

The blonde became somewhat confused, but let it roll over, "Yes, that's fine."

Miku smiled as she stood up, setting her embroidery down on the table. She left the room for the foyer. Rin heard the door creak open. The teal-haired woman's voice rang out softly, "Good afternoon, Master John."

"Miss Michaela," a male voice answered, "it's been a long time."

Rin listened carefully to their footsteps before walking over to the study. She noticed the door open a crack. The blonde kneeled down and peered in.

"My sincerest apologies for not seeing you sooner," the man, labeled as John, said. He was a rather nice-looking man, not much older than his mid-twenties. His brunet hair was slicked back, and his eyes seemed gentle. "After all, there's only a month before that day."

Miku gave him a gentle smile, "My, how time flies." She looked at a calendar on the desk, "Has it really been six months since my father agreed to this arrangement?"

Rin's blue eyes narrowed slightly, '_What are they talking about?_'

* * *

A week had passed since John came to Miku's house. Rin had never brought it up again. It was none of her concern. The blonde angel didn't care as long as she was still with Miku. Once again, she was ready to reveal her emotions to the teal-haired woman.

The arrival of a messenger made Rin regret not saying it sooner.

"My dress? It's done?" Miku said from the foyer. Rin was walking down the hall to see what the excitement was. "That's wonderful! Master John and I will come and see it immediately!"

"…Miku?" the blonde said softly.

The teal-haired woman turned around. She was positively glowing, "Oh, Rin! It's wonderful!" She ran over to the angel, pulling her into a hug. "My dress is done!"

"Dress? You have so many dresses already…" '_What's so special about another one?_' Rin asked herself.

"Not just any dress, silly. My wedding dress! Master John and I are getting married in two weeks!" Miku said, finally revealing the engagement ring on her left ring finger. It was a simple silver band, but it was a horrid piece of metal to Rin.

The blonde, however, chose not to show any change in emotion. "That's…great. I'm happy for you, Miku."

"Please," the young woman said excitedly, "come with me and see it!"

The angel wished that her Lord would strike her down. "Of course…"

* * *

The store had many different dresses, living up to its forte. As soon as the two women entered the store, Miku was lead away by John, leaving Rin to follow behind.

Of _course_ regular humans couldn't see her.

"Miss Michaela," a young employee said, "if you could walk over here to see your dress."

"Yes, thank you," she said softly before turning behind her, "Wait here, Rin."

A few people in the store, including John, gave Miku an incredulous look. What was she talking to?

'_Typically, humans can't see angels,_' Rin thought to herself, remembering words that she had had been told many times before. '_A human like Miku to be able to…she's special. She shouldn't have to marry, especially that human._'

"It's beautiful, right, Miss Michaela?" John's voice asked.

"Oh, I can't wait!" she smiled. "Master John, I will be able to walk back by myself. I would like to try it on before leaving."

"Of course. Have a good day." The bell rang lightly as the door was opened.

Miku walked behind a curtain and put the dress on quickly, "Oh, it's lovely!" She pulled the curtain back, "Rin, what do you think?"

There was no blonde angel in the store. "Rin…?"

* * *

The teal-haired woman heaved a sigh. She was halfway home already, and there was still no sign of the blonde angel.

'_It's abnormal for Rin to leave or go anywhere without telling me. I hope she's all right,'_ Miku thought to herself. In their few weeks together, they had practically been attached at the hip. Now, with some time apart, Miku found herself missing the angel.

The black dressed woman turned down a side road, her eyes down on the ground. However, when she saw white shoes ahead of her, she looked up.

"Rin! Where were you? I wanted you to see my dress."

"Miku," the blonde said softly, barely more than a whisper, "I don't think I can lie to myself much longer." Her blue eyes were narrowed, and her lips were a mild frown.

Miku's typically happy face became confused, "What?" As she tried to walk forward, a gust of wind from Rin's wings caused her to stop her motion and cover her face. As she moved her arms, the blonde had disappeared again. Saddened, she continued her walk home.

When she returned home, instead of going inside, Miku decided to look around the house. "Rin?" she asked as she looked down one side. She started to walk down towards the back, "Where could she have gone?"

Suddenly, her left arm was grabbed and her head was turned back. She saw a brief flash of blonde hair before a pair of lips met hers. Just as quickly, Miku pushed the angel back. "Rin, why did you do that?" Miku shouted as she covered her mouth in shock.

"I told you, Miku, I can no longer lie to myself," Rin said as her eyes softened in sadness. "I'm in love with you. But, it's clear that you don't feel the same for me."

Miku's hand remained at her mouth, but she gazed down at the ground, "…Rin…Huh?"

Rin had disappeared again. A solitary white feather gently floated to the ground in the spot where the blonde angel was standing.

"Rin! Rin, where'd you go?" the teal-haired woman said as she turned around herself. The blonde was nowhere in sight. "…Oh, Rin…I'm sorry."

* * *

Rin was standing behind the house, facing the ground. Tears were burning her eyes. Hand curled into a fist, she pounded against the wall behind her. '_Damn it all! Why did I even hope that she'd love me back? She's __**engaged**__! She's dedicated herself to that man…_'

The blonde looked at the back of the house across from her with a glare that could burn it down. '_I want here. Damn the rule that humans and angels can never be. If it means sacrificing everything…I will change myself to be with her…_'

A light, sinister giggle came echoing into Rin's ears, putting her on guard. _**Oh really?**_ a husky voice asked rhetorically. _**Would you devote yourself to evil, little one?**_

"Who's there?" Rin shouted to the air.

_**An angel…**_the voice said with another giggle, more menacing than the previous one, _**no, a Fallen angel. And, if you take this choice, you will become one as well.**_

Rin's eyes narrowed in caution, "You…you're Lucifer, aren't you?"

_**Oh, is that what I'm being called nowadays? You should know my real name from before I Fell.**_

The blonde hesitated before letting the Fallen angel's name leave her lips, "…Luka."

The world went black around Rin. She knew what was happening; she was being dragged down into the depths of Hell. Although she couldn't feel herself moving, she could tell that she was by how fast everything around her was going. Various demons were flying by, committing horrible deeds that the angel couldn't imagine ever doing herself. She even recognized a few Fallen angels on her trip past.

She landed quite hard against a hot granite floor. Steadying herself from the fall, Rin looked up. A pink-haired woman was sitting in a granite throne. She wore a tight black dress with thin straps gently sliding off her shoulders. A high slit, up to her hip, was on the right side. A metal chain was loosely wrapped twice around her hips. Strap stilettos were on her feet. Her blue eyes looked at the angel with a mocking smile, "So, there are some that still remember my name."

Rin found the heat stifling, but she fought to speak, "My Brother spoke fondly of you in secret with me. All others would curse your name."

"After my fall, _he_ took you under his wing?" Luka asked softly, remembering the past.

"Yes," the blonde said, finally forcing herself to stand up. "Why have you brought me here?"

The Fallen angel gracefully stood up and began to walk towards the smaller angel, heels clicking against the glassy floor, "You have a wish: a wish to be with a human." As she walked around and behind Rin, the blonde took notice of her back: the dress was laced just below her waist, and there were huge scars on her shoulder blades. The scar tissue appeared tender, even after so many years. "Although nothing like my sins, this is a sin just as forbidden as mine were.

A blush crossed Rin's face, "I want to be with Miku. I've been in love before, but with her…" the blonde grabbed her shirt over her heart, "there's much more to it. I want to be with her for the rest of her mortal life."

Luka's blue eyes narrowed slightly as she stood before the blonde. Gently, she brought her fingers to grace the side of the angel's face, "Is that your desire?"

"I have never desired anything more in my life."

With a snap of Luka's fingers, heavy chains wrapped around Rin's white wings. They were red-hot and thick, burning the feathers and meat. However, the blonde could bear it. A worst pain would come when they were taken off. Burns were nothing.

A black scythe appeared in the pink-haired woman's hands. "Before I do this, let me state my terms. When your wings are removed, it will take at least two weeks for your mortal form to appear. You will be changed into a form that will appeal to this mortal, making you desirable to her." The scythe was lowered to rest against the right wing.

Rin looked down to the ground and clenched her eyes shut, bracing herself. "I understand. Please, cut them away."

"I hope you fully understand what you're getting into," Luka said, her voice soft and distant. "Once your wings are removed, you will never get them back."

"As long as I can be with her."

In a swift motion, the scythe was raised and lowered. A scream resonated throughout the fiery underground.

* * *

A/N: Perhaps I should start by saying: "Why haven't I seen a written interpretation of this yet?" Honestly, unless someone's hiding it really well, I scanned all Vocaloid fanfictions back to the start of April and there was nothing about this song.

Anyways, first Vocaloid fanfiction. I've read some pretty good ones on here, and, therefore, I chose to take a whack at it.

A note on the title: "Himitsu" in this song does not mean "secret", as I keep seeing in translations. While 秘密 means "secret", 秘蜜 (the kanji characters in the title) literally means "secret honey". However, after placing the latter two characters through multiple translators, I was given "clandestine", which still means "secret", but is more in terms for something "illicit".

As I have chosen not to set this story in Japan (I view of it more as an alternate universe Victorian Britain, to be honest), Miku could not use her given name. "Michaela" was the name chosen for the Daughter of Green, the character Miku represents in mothy's Story of Evil, for "Aku no Musume ~Seien no Gemini~", a stage play rendition of the first three songs in the series. I felt it appropriate enough to use.

John is the man that Miku is with in the video. I chose a generic name for him as to not cause controversy and/or ship hate.

Luka did not appear as a character in the song or PV. I chose to add her of my own free will.

Review if you like. I completely understand "fave-and-run" and "alert-and-run"; I, admittedly, do that as well. I personally consider it "interest", and almost like a review. There should be another part up in…about two weeks. xD

Also, would anyone believe me if I said I wasn't into yuri/femmeslash/shoujo-ai/girl's love?


	2. Illicit Passion

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vocaloid and their characters. The Vocaloid program belongs to Yamaha. In this chapter, the characters and their designs belong to Crypton Future Media and Internet Co., descriptions to the best of my ability. This story is based off the Vocaloid Song and PV "秘蜜〜黒の誓い〜" (Himitsu ~Kuro no Chikai~) by Hitoshizuku-P with art by Suzunosuke. Please note that this is merely my interpretation of the PV. Please do not accept this as what the story actually conveys. I do try to make scenes from the video appear, but the contents are of my interpretation.

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* * *

_

_Clandestine_

_Chapter 2: Illicit Passion_

* * *

Many young women yearn for that special day in their lives where she and her destined person would finally live their lives together until time runs out. She dreams of an elaborately immaculate white dress and veil and a beautiful fragrant bouquet. Both families are present, taking place as the joyous event at a church or basilica, light streaming and distorted through stained glass. The huge pipe organ plays the Wedding March as the bride walks down the aisle, her precious person standing at the altar. The ceremony is performed: vows and rings are exchanged, the priest announces their union before the Lord and those present, and they kiss. They go back up the aisle, now together in holy union.

Michaela Hattenson once had a dream like that. At eighteen, the only daughter of an upper middle-class family was extremely fortunate to be where she was today. Her father worked for a porcelain company where his boss's son, John Davison, had fallen in love with the teal-haired female. He formally courted her, during which time she had moved out of her parents' house and pursued a career of her own. Six months ago, he had asked for her hand in marriage, to which Michaela had agreed. They had made plans to move into her place to live out their lives together after the ceremony.

Today, she stood before a mirror in her waiting room, adding the final details to her outfit. Unlike traditional virginal white dresses, Michaela and her fiancé agreed on a lacquer black dress. It was low-cut, off the shoulders, and long with a train. There were five layers, the highest two flaring while the lower three ruffled at the end. A matching black ribbon wrapped loosely around her waist, collecting at three tawny roses on her left side. The rest of the ribbon flowed down, gracing over the layers. Black gloves ended just above her elbows. Her collar was around her neck again, the turquoise stone shining in the glass-stained light. Her long teal hair, again with two thin braids, was pulled back in five buns, one atop each other, in a graceful fashion.

A green-haired woman was standing next to her, pulling up a sheer, black fabric over her hair. The veil was also long, down to the third tier of her dress, with small eyelets along the edge in two rows. The other woman was dressed plainly in a white blouse and high-waisted long navy skirt with some flare, showing a difference in class. Her green-hair was short in the back and bangs, but there were two long strands in perfect symmetry on either side of her face. Her green eyes were soft during this day.

"Miss Michaela," she said, her voice having a tinge of anticipation and a bit of foreign accent, "you look so beautiful!"

"Thanks to you, Gumi. Please, call me Miku like you always have," the teal-eyed woman said as she turned to the other woman.

Gumi shook her head, "It's my last day with you, Miss Michaela. I feel that I must call you by your proper name. Besides, it'll be just like when we first met, and it is my wish that I serve you properly and formally like in the beginning."

Miku began to remember their first meeting. She was only thirteen when the slightly younger female had come to them. She was from a foreign land in the east, and left her home to find work in the other half of the world, coming with only her name and language. A man, on his way home from work, picked her up. He offered her to work until his daughter was married, no matter how long it would be. The girl accepted, and was introduced to her new master and mistresses, including a young, teal-haired girl with her hair in two high tails, one on each side of her head. The two girls became rather close, even during the time after Miku left the house, and it brought them to today. Her teal eyes became misty, "Thank you…for everything these past five years, Gumi."

"No, the honor has been mine, Miss Michaela," Gumi insisted, taking the other woman's hands in her own, giving them a comforting squeeze.

A knock happened at the door. Any minute now, the pipe organ would begin playing. "I will go and take my seat," Gumi said, heading for the door.

"Gumi," Miku started, her voice in a questioning tone, "have you ever been in love?"

A quizzical expression came over the green-haired woman's face, "Like you are with Master John?"

"…No," Miku said, dismissing the question, "never mind."

"Well, it's time." A comforting smile crossed Gumi's lips, "Shall we go?"

While she wasn't completely sure at first, a more confident smile crossed Miku's lips. "Yes."

A final thought crossed her mind as she walked out the door:

'_Rin…_'

_

* * *

Miku could feel something different after a visit from her fiancé. There was still a month before their wedding, but something was different. She had always found John to be a nice man, yes, and she knew that she had feelings for him. However, while he hadn't been dropping by, she barely noticed the lack of his existence. It bothered her somewhat. Perhaps there were other things on her mind. She was, after all, housing a lost angel._

…_Speaking of that angel, she wasn't sitting on the couch._

"_Rin? Rin, where are you?" Miku asked in a panic. She ran throughout the house, opening doors and looking inside to see if the blonde was there. The kitchen, the dining room, the library, the bathroom…she wasn't anywhere!_

_Miku was standing just outside the master bedroom. As she opened the door, she did see some white from the blonde's wings. "Rin?" the teal-haired woman asked softly._

_Upon hearing her name, the angel gave a slightly jump. Slowly, she turned to face the human. A handgun was in her right hand. When she saw the weapon, Miku lunged forward, grabbing Rin's wrist in concern. "How did you find this? Why did you get it out?"_

"_Why do you even keep a weapon, Miku?" Rin retorted, her blue eyes confused. "I've considered this place safe, and no harm has ever come to you."_

_Miku paused. As close as she was to Rin, she never did explain how unsafe this part of town really was. "When I left my parents," she started, letting the blonde angel free from her grasp, "my father gave me this gun just in case I ever had to protect myself from something bad. Contrary to your belief, this place isn't fully safe, especially at night. Various crimes have been committed from before and after I moved here, although it has been safer recently."_

_Rin looked at the gun in her hand. "Have you ever had to shoot someone?"_

_Miku shook her head, "I've been lucky so far in which no one has found reason to come and attack me. What about you, Rin?"_

_Blue eyes narrowed in mild disappointment, but her expression relaxed as she put the gun back in its box, "No, I've never had to shoot at a person."_

"_That's good. Now, what would you like to do for dinner?"_

* * *

The ceremony was coming to its end. Vows have already been exchanged, and then came the last part. The priest, dressed in white robes, was a tall man with long violet hair pulled back highly atop his head. On this day, his blue eyes were kept focused on the couple and those who had gathered. The church was not filled; mostly immediate family, friends and servants were present on this what should be joyous day.

"Do you, John Davison," the priest said loudly, his low baritone voice projecting and being heard throughout the church, "take Michaela Hattenson as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, to love and cherish until death to you part?"

With confidence, the brown-haired man gave his "I do".

"And do you, Michaela Hattenson," the priest said, changing the focus to the teal-haired woman, "take John Davison as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, to love and cherish until death to you part?"

Miku looked down sadly on her finger where her engagement ring still was worn. She closed her eyes, "I do."

Rings were exchanged, and they were pronounced husband and wife. The two kissed chastely, and then went back up the aisle as another wedding march played. The two waited at the end, even as the music continued playing. Various guests were coming up and congratulating the newly married couple. Davison family members accepted Michaela openly and proudly, and Hattensons recognized John as the perfect choice for the teal-eyed woman. Friends of the two came up and gave their hugs, and servants gave their congratulations.

However, to Miku, something still felt off. She knew that she should be feeling happy. When she was younger, just the thought of getting married to a wonderful man made her feel better. And it wasn't to say that John wasn't wonderful! The porcelain company was one of the best in their city, and things were looking even better for the future. In a few years, he would inherit the job his father holds, and they would have a nice life together. Perhaps she just needed some time to think.

"I'm sorry, John but…the air is a little heavy in here," she said softly. "I'm going to go outside for a bit."

John gave her a look of concern, "Would you like me to join you?"

Miku shook her head, "No, it's fine. It'll only be for a few minutes. Please, give everyone my thanks and apologies." She gave him a comforting smile.

"I understand, my love," the brunet said, gently pressing a kiss on her forehead.

The teal-haired woman smiled, and walked away, her train following behind her. She had remembered seeing a small garden behind the church with beautiful flowers and high hedges, to which there was an opening that lead to a forest. She took a brief walk, and found herself underneath the gazebo. A statue of the Virgin was underneath, and Miku took a brief moment to pray. As she opened her eyes and brought her hands down, her thoughts began to drift elsewhere. '_Rin…where have you gone?_' she asked, looking at the Virgin's face. Perhaps St. Mary knew the answer. '_Even if you did love me, you were still more than welcome to stay, because…_' The teal-haired woman stood up, '_I hope you're happy, wherever you are._'

"What a strange place for a bride to be without her husband. Could it be that you're having second thoughts after you chose to spend your life with him, Michaela?" a voice asked. It sounded somewhat male, but not of one whose voice had yet to lower. Perhaps it was starting, but the change wasn't fully noticeable yet.

Miku turned around to look at the opening in the hedge, and was taken aback. A young blond man, not too much younger and shorter than her was standing there. A gentle smile was on his face, his blue eyes matching his expression. His golden bangs flared from the part on the right side, and the rest of his hair was pulled back into a tail tied with a black ribbon. A knee-length black cape covered his arms and shoulders, tied loosely into a bow in front of him. He wore a deep gray, high-collared shirt with some ruching on either side of the center, unbuttoned save for three at the bottom. His hands were covered with black gloves. Black pants rested at his hips, an elaborate rose vine design on his left thigh, and black knee-high boots completed his outfit.

The resemblance…was shocking, but it was merely coincidence, right? And the fact that he knew her name…"How do you know my name?" Miku asked softly.

"I was in the back of the church, watching the ceremony," the male said softly as he walked closer to her. "My apologies for not introducing myself. My name is Len."

"Len…" the teal-haired woman breathed. Again, a three-letter name. It must be a cruel joke that God was playing on her.

"Be honest me with, Michaela, what are you thinking right now?" the blond asked. He was still a few strides away from her.

The black bride looked down at her hands, her fingers interlocked. "There was a friend of mine," she started simply. "She lived with me for about three weeks before disappearing. All during that time, I could never realize that she was in love with me. She…" Miku paused as she brought her fingers to her pink lips, "revealed her feelings to me, and…it didn't seem right to accept them at the time. However, the more I think about it," she brought her eyes to meet the smiling blue gaze upon her, "would it have been wrong for me to love her?"

"Should gender matter in love?" Len asked simply.

That simple question caused a feeling of relief to wash over the bride. As she gave a smile to the blond, it was returned in his eyes. The heat raced across her face, "No…I don't believe so…"

The mysterious boy began to walk around the girl, his blue eyes still gazing into her teal ones, "What about me? Consider it strange that we've just met," he stopped behind her, black cape catching up, "yet your expression is reading something quite interesting about how you feel about me."

Miku's teal orbs became wide. She turned to meet him, and began to walk back a couple steps. "I should go back inside…"

Len took the few strides and grabbed the black bride's wrist, bringing it up to eye level. "Really?" he said softly, bringing his face closer to hers, "I don't think that's what you're thinking."

The teal-haired woman's eyes attempted to find a focal point: the blond's bangs, his blue eyes shrouded in a sinful emotion, his fingers around her wrist, his skin showing from his slightly open shirt, his slightly parted lips coming closer to hers…

"You should be more honest with yourself, Miku…" he whispered, hot breath ghosting over her lips as he spoke her nickname. His lips gently pressed themselves against hers, blue gazing into teal before closing.

'_This…_' Michaela thought to herself when she found that she still could, '_shouldn't happen. I was married less than an hour ago…_' she gasped slightly as a tongue skimmed across her lips, '_but why does this seem so right?_' She pressed her lips slightly harder against his, opening her mouth and granting him entrance.

To the teal-haired bride, it felt like an eternity. His fingers unwrapped themselves from her wrist and began to glide up and down over her waist. Her freed hand found itself upon his caped shoulder. She could feel herself being drawn closer, their clothed bodies pressed flush against each other. The sensual heat was becoming unbearable, and there was a new sensation rushing though Michaela's body. She needed something as quickly as possible.

Relief did not come to her as the blond pulled away. "See?" he said, a seductive tone ringing in his voice. "That seemed much more honest."

Miku was panting slightly, her fingers at her mouth. She knew that her face was red; there was no denying it, and that her eyes were darkened with a specific sin as well. '_That…was just a kiss…but why,'_ she tried to concentrate her emotions, but she could only feel one thing, '_Why do I feel so…hot…?_'

"So," the blond started again, bringing a hand to her cheek, "now what, Miku?"

The heat and emotions rushing through her, Miku could barely bring herself to talk. "I…I want…" she murmured, leaving her statement unfinished.

The smile once again appeared in the mysterious blond's eyes, "Yes?"

"I want…to be with you," the teal-eyes woman said, reaching out for the blond's hand. Damn the ring on her finger; she was truly in love again, and nothing would cause them to part this time.

Len grasped the hand in his, gently rubbing his thumb across her knuckles, "Is there anywhere we can go?"

The sensation wasn't going to leave unless Michaela could think of a place to go. She gasped in realization, "My house? I think it's set up for…something special…" The furious blush had yet to leave her face, but there seemed to be ease in the tension that she felt. So _that's_ what it was.

"Perfect," the young man said. "I'll only take you back if you're willing."

"…Please…" Miku breathed.

With that, the two began their run to the teal-haired woman's house.

* * *

The green-haired maid had left the celebration at the back of the aisle to find her now former mistress. Her carriage had arrived to take her and her husband to the reception. Just as she arrived at the walkway to the garden, she watched as two people, both dressed in black and holding hands, began to run in the opposite direction of the maid.

Gumi had no idea who the blond was, but the other person, trailing slightly behind, was definitely… "Miss Michaela! Where are you going?"

There was no reaction from the teal-haired bride upon hearing her name. Worried, Gumi began to run after the two. The only way out of the walkway was through the church, and Michaela being seen with another man wasn't going to settle well with anyone. Despite the couple's lead on her, Gumi was still close enough to follow and hear the voices coming from the back of the church.

First was a woman's voice, "John, isn't that…"

Second came the voice of Gumi's master, "Is Michaela with another man?"

Then the bridegroom's voice, "What? Michaela! Michaela!"

Gumi had arrived right as the brunet reached out to his wife. However, his hands only grasped the black veil that flowed behind her, sliding it off her hair. He looked down at the veil, a betrayed expression across his face.

No one knew what to say or do. The bride had just run away with another man merely an hour after getting married. There would be no celebration tonight, no announcement in the paper, and divorce papers were already being planned. The heads of the two families looked at each other, both of their expressions reading potential lawsuits. The priest's eyes looked at the two men: the ceremony was performed, he had done his duty, and, therefore, he was to still receive money for his services and hopefully goodwill donations for the church.

However, the green-eyed female looked at the large doors of the church, a puzzled expression on her own face. "Is that what she meant? About being in love?"

* * *

The wedding night was always deemed something extremely sacred. After having the Lord see their union in the church during the day, nothing would watch the newly married couple fully consummate their union during the night. Man and wife would become joined in a way that was meant to remain private, yet was common knowledge to all. It was a union that no one could break. Rings would tarnish and papers could be torn, but consummation was something that would never fade. It could even result in the start of a new life for the couple. Yes, the wedding night was truly special.

However, this was a forbidden case. It wouldn't be consummation, but rather fornication.

The minute Michaela and Len walked into her bedroom, the black bride found herself pushed against the door, their lips meeting over and over again with nothing but passion between them. Her hair, loosened from the run, had finally fallen free, gentle waves flowing over her shoulders and down her back. Grasping her hand again, the blond began to lead her over towards the bed, untying his cape and throwing it on the ground. Slowly, he began to slide the lacquer black dress off of her body, leaving it to collapse into a pile of frills and lace at her feet.

Miku's breath quickened and she shivered ever so slightly at the cool that came across her body. All that was left was her lingerie. A corset covered her top, dark red silk and black lace material meeting between her breasts at a black ribbon tied into bow. Silk stretched tightly over her waist, coming to black frills over red. A black thong was hidden under the ruffles, a tie on either side resting atop her hips. Black garters came out from under the corset and attached to her thigh-high stockings, red with black fishnet overtop. On the left garter was a small black bow, right at the clip. She still wore her thick choker and black gloves.

An ungloved hand on her shoulder gently began to turn her towards the blond. Teal looked into blue, but the eyes of the male were not gazing into hers. His sapphire gaze skimmed all over her lightly clothed body. A furious blush crossed Michaela's face. Such views were meant to be reserved for husbands, and the blond was not that person. However, there was something there that made this feel perfectly acceptable. Feeling somewhat shy and embarrassed, she brought her legs tightly together, her hands twisted into the frills, and she took her focus to the white sheets on the bed.

"More second thoughts, Miku?" the mysterious male asked. She looked back over at him, where his eyes were focused on hers. His hand cupped her cheek and began to slide down to her neck, her shoulder…down to her waist where his hand settled.

The teal-haired woman could feel her heart race at the feather-light touches. "I…" she started before giving a gasp. The blond's hand had started a gliding motion up and down her side. She tried to focus on something else, her eyes now gazing at his skin under his shirt. "I don't know what to think anymore."

A second hand settled on her waist, and the blond came closer. "Then don't think," he said, his breath ghosting over her lips. They kissed deeply once again. As they parted, the male gently nudged the female, causing her to collapse onto the bed, her hair settling around her. "I can tell that there's something that you want from me." His voice was heavy with lust as he placed himself on top of her, hands on either side of her shoulders and kneeling between her legs.

"…I…" was the only thing she could get out.

"Yes, Michaela?" he whispered in a seductive tone. His hand joined in hers as he leaned closer, blue eyes peering into her teal and lips nearly touching. There were gentle tendrils of breath between them, grazing over their lips. She couldn't bring herself to look anywhere else.

"I…I want you…" Miku said softly, a soft blush across her face. She angled herself to properly meet his lips, but he never brought himself forward.

Instead, a mischievous glint appeared in the blond's eyes. "Say my name…you've barely said it this whole time we've been together."

Heat began to rise up in her face again. She stared into his blue eyes and stated with much confidence: "I want you…Len…"

Wrapping his arms around her waist, the blond lifted the bride up. "Michaela…" he said fervidly before placing his lips on her neck, kissing and nipping her milky skin. A soft moan escaped past her pink lips, and her eyes clenched in pure pleasure. Her gloved hands formed into fists upon his back. She could feel the mysterious male's fingers on her back, slowly unhooking the eyelets on the corset from top to bottom.

* * *

The morning after was always meant to be something as special as the wedding night. The afterglow has mostly faded, but there was still that bit that made it to the next day. It was proof that the night had been successful for both members in the relationship and that neither were embarrassed by what had happened. Slowly opening her teal eyes, Michaela shook off the last remnants of sleep from her eyes. She gathered the white sheets and pulled them closer to her bare body. She bent her lips into a smile and looked over at the place to next to her…

…only to find that the blond was now gone.

Eyes becoming wide with shock and worry, the teal-haired woman wrapped the white sheets around herself. "Len? Len! Where are you?" Instantly, her thoughts began to overflow her. What if she wasn't good enough? Did he regret what happened? Was it merely a one-night stand? Would she have to return to her husband?

Or did he just leave her like the blonde angel did?

She dressed in the first thing she could find: her lingerie, gloves, and collar, and then grabbed a black robe and wrapped it around herself. The first thing she did was check every room in the house. There was no sign of the mysterious blond anywhere inside. She headed out the back door, and he wasn't behind the house. However, she walked along the wall to the door to a shared back garden.

On the block where Miku lived, there was a community garden that the residents shared. It was their responsibility to plant and care for the flowers and trees that grew there. Miku had done her share in early spring: she planted and began to care for lilies, but was surprised when the smaller pyxie flower began to grow around them. Nevertheless, she began to care for the wildflowers like they were her own.

And that was where she found Len. He was dressed back in his gray shirt and black pants, and his shoulder-length blond hair was retied. His black-gloved hand lightly grazed over the white lilies, but then kneeled down to the pyxies, closer to the ground. It was almost like he knew that she grew those.

"…Len?" the teal-haired woman said softly.

The male stopped for a second, but he turned to face the woman. A bouquet of lilies and other flowers in the garden was in his other hand. "Good morning, Michaela. These are for you," he said, holding the flowers out to her.

Michaela took the flowers, a smile crossing her features. "They're beautiful…"

"Not as beautiful as you."

A sweet pink blush crossed her face at the compliment, "Thank you."

"And…" Len took the bride's hand and began to pull her over towards him, "this is more important."

Michaela gave a confused look as they came together and then sat down on the ground. Her robe slightly slid off her shoulders as she brought herself closer to the flowers. A small patch of pyxies sat close to them. The blond reached down to the flowers and plucked one. Taking the stem, he tied it around the base of the petals into a circular shape. He lifted her left hand and placed the ring on her finger, revealing the one he was already wearing that matched hers, "I'm making a promise to you, Michaela."

"Oh, Len…" the teal-haired woman said as she brought her right hand to her mouth in surprise, "…I…"

"Michaela, should the day come that something comes to take your life, I will gladly take your place. Of course," the blue-eyed male said with a mild laugh, "I would prefer for that not to happen and that the two of us live together until the end of our times."

Realization came across Miku's face, a smile crossing her lips. "Len, are you…proposing?"

"Perhaps," he said with a smile in his eyes, "but you are married already…"

The smile dropped from the teal-haired bride's face as soon as it appeared. "Yes," she started, "but I can merely hope that John realizes that nothing could have grown from that love. I'm…I'm completely in love with you, Len."

The blond's hand cupped her cheek again. "Michaela…" he whispered before leaning in to meet her lips. The two shared a chaste kiss. As they pulled away from each other, their fingers intertwined, a gentle smile crossed both their lips.

"Please, call me Miku when we're like this," the bride said, formally granting permission for him to use her nickname. She knew that he knew it already, and how he did was beyond her, but they had crossed the boundary of formality.

"Miku…" the blond said, bringing their foreheads together and closing his eyes, "although we've gone outside protocol, will you still spend the rest of your days with me?"

The woman also closed her eyes, "I promise. Until the end of time."

* * *

In a whole other world beyond most humans' beliefs, a blue-haired angel looks up at light sifting through a stained glass window in a chapel. "Rin…has become a Fallen angel?" he asked incredulously, "Are you completely sure that she's not just missing?"

The brunette angel stood behind him, a hand on her hip and papers in the other. "If she was missing, she would have tried contacting us already," she said, a frown on her face. "As a Power, it is your mission to rid of the 'evil'. You needn't worry about what would happen to you; you can never become a Fallen angel."

The male angel turned to face the brunette, his long white drape flowing freely. "Rin was one of the most promising siblings I've raised. For her to Fall…" he turned his face away to a spot on the ground. A cross dangled from its chain from his earring. "Who would cause this?" he asked to himself.

"Most likely Lucifer persuaded her. The last time we could sense Lucifer's power was two weeks ago, and it was at a house in a city…" a map appeared on the ground, and it zoomed up behind a house, "…right there. There's also this woman." Next to the house, a picture of a woman with teal eyes and hair appeared. Blue eyes rose to meet brown in confusion. She shrugged, "We don't know much about this woman besides the fact that that house is her residence. However, if Rin fell in love with a human, she committed a sin. Therefore, we believe that this woman is the cause of Rin Falling."

The map and picture vanished as orders were given. "Power Kaito," the woman said, her voice booming in the small chapel, "this order comes directly from the Great Monarch. End this woman's life as punishment for the Fallen's sins, and if you find Rin, the Fallen angel, you are to end her life as well. This mission begins immediately."

Kaito kneeled before the brunette, eyes firmly planted on the ground. "Understood, Dominion Meiko."

* * *

A/N: I know I said two weeks. I posted early because I finished early, and now I'm off to convention this weekend. Anime North, here I come. Anyways…

Gakupo, Gumi, and Meiko did not appear in the PV. I chose to add them of my own free will.

As I have chosen not to set this story in Japan (I view of it more as an alternate universe Victorian Britain, to be honest), I couldn't use "Hatsune" for Miku's surname. I picked "Hattenson" because it somewhat looked like "Hatsune"…even if only vaguely and I'm the only one that sees it. xD Fear not, it's still Hatsune Miku.

The last wedding I went to was when I was thirteen: a quick ceremony, and I was sitting far enough away that I couldn't hear the priest. So, I just took the important phrases and ran with it. I know that weddings are much more elaborate than what I write, but this is the best I could do.

I forgot about the two scenes with the gun last chapter. I think they were meant to be allusions towards how loving Miku affected Rin (as it's a sin in her world). However, when I first watched the pv (without subs), I thought Rin grabbed a gun, killed Miku's fiancé, Miku freaks and doesn't want to be close to Rin anymore, Rin runs off, Miku meets Len after the funeral…so on, so forth. I added a quick scene as a nod to my first watch but, of course, nothing truly came of that scene…

If there's something I didn't like about the PV, it was that it never really showed where Len came from initially. Suzunosuke released a collection of pictures that were used in the movie, and one is the shot where Miku sees Len for the first time after her wedding. I tried to describe it the best I could…

I was iffy in using the word "consummation" versus "fornication". "Consummation" is when a married couple or those in a relationship have intercourse. However, the latter could also be "fornication", as the couple is not married. And, I am not a lemon writer. I apologize to anyone who wished to read a LenMiku lemon, but I am rather uncomfortable with writing lemon scenes. I hope that the build-up was enough and that imaginations are active enough that you, the readers, can continue the rest yourselves.

Angelology: Powers are similar to that of an army, while Dominions relay the Lord's messages to the Powers. I'm probably not right, considering I looked up this information on a whim, but I tried and I refuse to change it unless I'm screamingly wrong.

Oh, and I'm not Christian…I'm technically agnostic…

Next part will be the conclusion. It will be up early June. Because June brides are said to be the happiest brides. In this story…not so much.


	3. Illicit Sacrifice

_**CHAPTER EDIT (7/5): There has been the addition of new scenes upon the discovery of a related song and editing of what has already been written. See the end for more information.**_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vocaloid and their characters. The Vocaloid program belongs to Yamaha. In this chapter, the characters and their designs belong to Crypton Future Media, descriptions to the best of my ability. This story is based off the Vocaloid Song and PV "秘蜜〜黒の誓い〜" (Himitsu ~Kuro no Chikai~) by Hitoshizuku-P with art by Suzunosuke. Please note that this is merely my interpretation of the PV. Please do not accept this as what the story actually conveys. I do try to make scenes from the video appear, but the contents are of my interpretation.

* * *

_Clandestine_

_Chapter 3: Illicit Sacrifice_

* * *

To be completely and utterly honest, angels have always hated the living world. It has always been a dirty, sinful place with filthy air and equally filthy beings. Although Adam and Eve were initially loved by the angels, along with all of the creatures that lived in the Garden of Eden, they were disliked when they ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. After the time of the Great Flood that saved the pure Noah and his family, the earth had become sullied again. Jesus was the most loved for reasons that needn't be explained. However, angels of all rank despised going there and delivering messages from God to humans, no matter its importance.

Kaito, an angel bearing the rank of Power, was no exception. Like all of the other angels, he would do anything for his Lord. He would perform his duty like he was commanded, and would not let his personal feelings intervene in any way, shape, matter, or form. The earth was a place that he dreaded going to, but if he was to go there to perform the Lord's bidding, then he would without any complaints.

Through the clouds, the blue-haired angel could see the city. Taking in as much detail and smog as he could handle, he began to fly just above the houses, searching for that specific house where the teal-haired woman lived. Aside from his mission, something else lingered on his mind. A memory of happier times began to overtake him. If he found his Little Sister, he knew that he would have to kill her as well. As long as he didn't find the smaller angel, it would probably be best to remember the best times they spent together…

"_Big Brother Kaito!" a young blonde angel said with a bright smile on her face. She ran up to the taller angel, "How are you doing today?"_

_Upon hearing his name, the bluenet turned behind him, noticing the eager angel. "Ah, Little Rin," he said, lightly ruffling the younger angel's hair. "I'm doing well. You?"_

_Rin accepted the tousling, but then she dodged away from it. "Wonderful, Big Brother. What are we going to do today?" she asked._

"_You are in training to become a Power such as myself, so perhaps we should practice war skills?" Kaito offered._

"_War?" Rin repeated, a look of apprehension crossing her face. "There hasn't been any problems since Lucifer's Fall and revolt…"_

"_Luka…" the elder said softly, his eyes becoming distant and lost in memories, "she was quite powerful."_

_Looking into blue eyes, the blonde blinked confusedly. "Luka?" She'd never heard the name of another angel cross the Power's lips before._

"_That's Lucifer's true name, the name from before she Fell. Like you, I took her under my wing. She was extremely powerful and skilled, and quickly earned favor with Our Lord. However…she committed far too many sins to repent for them. She took it upon herself to remove her own wings and Fall," he said. His tone carried that of mild concern._

_Such a tone was not lost on the blonde. "Did you care for her, Brother?"_

_Returning his focus to his young angel, a soft smile crossed his lips, "As much as I care for you. Luka was a precious Little Sister. Now," he began to change the subject, "shall we proceed to training? You'll learn how to fire a gun today."_

"_A gun?" the blonde asked, enthusiasm in her voice. There was a new light in her blue eyes._

_Kaito gave a sight chuckle. With a fondness for weapons, she would probably make a good Power. The two angels started their walk to the shooting range. There were many other angels there, both Powers and angels in training to become soldiers, firing off guns. Some hit the targets, others were very close, and there were the select few that would definitely be asked to try and work under a different rank of angel. _

_The two found an empty space, and then the Power pulled out his gun. It was a type of revolver, silver that glistened white in the light. He inserted six bullets into the barrel, the gun eye level with the blonde. Her blue eyes watched his white-gloved hands carefully. "This is how you remove the safety," he said, flicking the switch. "And then…here, you can hold it," the bluenet got behind the blonde, placing the gun in her right hand and placing her fingers in the proper position. "Just raise your arm, finger on the trigger…" The blonde did as instructed, lining up the center of the target in her sights._

_Softly, the Power gave the order: "Fire."_

_Immediately following the command, Rin's finger pulled back on the trigger. There was a minor kickback, but nothing serious. Exhaling her held breath, she looked over at the target._

_Two sets of blue eyes became wide. Bulls-eye._

"_Brother Kaito," the blonde said, getting over her initial shock, "was I supposed to get it on the first try?"_

_Closing his gaping mouth, the Power found himself able to speak, "On average, no." He looked down at Rin, a proud smile across his face. "That was amazing!"_

_The blonde gave a mildly embarrassed laugh, "Thank you. May I try again?"_

"_Of course."_

_Without being given orders, Rin aimed at the target and shot the last five bullets in succession. After the last one was shot, the two looked at the results. There were six holes, all aimed in nearly the exact same spot._

"_Rin, you're a natural!" the blue-haired man said, wrapping his arms around the younger angel and picking her up, spinning her._

_In surprise, the blonde gave a squeal before laughing. "Thank you, Big Brother!" she said back._

_By this time, other angels and Powers had gathered, also observing the target. They began to murmur amongst themselves, and a few gave they congratulations and praise. In embarrassment, the two angels looked at each other before giving gentle laughs. The Power readjusted his clothes from his outburst, and the blonde tried to accept as much praise as she could._

_This was all mere weeks before the blonde disappeared…_

Suddenly, the bluenet recognized where he was. He noticed that the houses were exactly like the ones he looked at on the map he was shown. Any second now, he would arrive at the location where it was believed Rin was staying. However, he noticed that there was someone, a young woman sitting in the garden. Quietly, he lands behind her, taking a few steps.

The woman was the one he was looking for. She had long teal hair, five buns atop each other, and wore a black wedding-type dress with five layers, as well as who knows how many petticoats underneath to keep its shape. She stares at a flower ring on her finger, a loving expression on her face. It kept her distracted from noticing the angel behind her.

Kaito gritted his teeth, blue eyes glaring at the black bride. Slowly, he raised his arm, aiming the gun…

* * *

Something felt off to Michaela. She was told to wait as Len prepared a surprise for her, so she decided to remain in the garden where he had proposed to her just yesterday. She had hoped that today would be their unofficial wedding day, considering that she'd yet to formally sign divorce papers.

However, she couldn't shake the fact of something otherworldly behind her. For a brief second, she thought it was Rin. The presence was similar, but there was something quite different about it that caused her to dismiss the belief that it was the blonde angel. Hopefully, whoever was watching her was just passing by and would continue on their way.

"Damnable human!" a male voice shouted. Startled, Miku nearly jumped off the ground. "You have sided with the Devil, and have committed sins against God. Even if you start praying now, he won't save your soul. Prepare for the eternal damnation in the fiery flames of Hell!"

A click of what sounded like safety being removed from a handgun of some sort caused Miku to turn and look behind her. She briefly saw an angel with blue hair and eyes glaring at her, aiming a gun at her. "Wha—"

The gunshot was loud, reverberating in her ears. She fell backwards from the force, hair falling free from its style. Everything was turning hazy. Miku tried to breathe, but, instead, a liquid cough escaped her lips. The salty taste of iron filled her mouth, some of a sanguine liquid dribbling out her mouth. In an attempt to move, she turned her body to the side. Her eyelids were becoming heavier, and they eventually closed. The last thing she saw was the angel turning away from her, his work completed, and the flower that was on her finger. It was now crushed, a couple petals having fallen off.

'…_what…_' she thought as she began to sink into the darkness, losing consciousness, '_what was he talking about…_

'_Len…Rin…_'

* * *

The blond was standing in the kitchen when he heard the gunshot. He remembered hearing once before that the neighborhood he and Michaela were living in was not the safest place. Abandoning the surprise he had just finished making, he strode out into the shared garden. Upon seeing his precious bride, his blue eyes became wide.

The black bride was lying on the ground, her eyes shut. Her long teal hair had become freed of its updo, strands stained and stuck together with the sanguine blood that surrounded her body. The pyxie ring was off her finger, now crushed just in front of her.

His worst nightmare had come true.

"Michaela?" he said softly, kneeling next to her. Len gently shook her shoulder, hoping for some sort of reaction. "Miku?" he called again. However, the teal-haired woman never stirred. She was already gone. Blue eyes became teary. The blond gently lifted the young woman towards his chest. He gave a sob, knowing that there was nothing he could do.

Well, almost nothing. Just before he lost hope, Len remembered what someone from his past had told him…

"_If there ever comes a situation in which you want to trade your life for this Miku girl," a husky voice said to the kneeling blond, "then you will lose your own life. You will be neither angel nor devil, and neither will she when her time comes. You will become a spirit in the otherworld, and, when she dies, she will join you."_

_Crystal blue eyes looked over at the blond, "Do you understand, Rin?"_

_The young man looked up at the pink-haired Fallen angel, "Yes, Mistress Luka."_

"_I'm going to teach you a little prayer. If the time comes that such situation arises, then you must relinquish the vow you made by saying it. I want you to listen carefully to what I say, as I will only say it once." Softly and quickly, Lucifer said the spell to the newly Fallen angel._

"_Understood," the blond said. He had absorbed the spell into his memory, and he would never forget it._

_A soft smile crossed the woman's lips. "I can't continue calling you 'Rin', can I? I will change your name. As long as you are a man, your name is to be 'Len'."_

_The blond softly repeated his new name to himself. It had a nice, yet familiar ring to it._

"_Now go and return to her side. May your black vow be fulfilled…"_

"_My dear, lying cold,_" the blond said, gently brushing Michaela's bangs from her face. There was a stream of blood from her mouth, some slicked on her lips like lipstick. "_I will spend all my life for you as I swore on that day…_" The tears were unrelenting; they refused the young man's wishes to stop. Len hesitated as he noticed that the gunshot wound was healing, the blood disappearing, and, the most miraculous part, her breathing started once again.

"_My sin against God,_" he whispered, bringing their foreheads together. Michaela had truly started breathing again; the blond could feel the gentle tendrils against his cheek. It was true, the prayer would bring her back to life. The tears wouldn't stop, but at least he could be happy that his love would still be alive, even if it resulted in the lost of his life.

A gentle breeze started, loosening his hair ribbon. Blond hair fell free as Len continued his prayer. "_All my acts of treachery should be paid by my death, so I will die for you…_"

* * *

A soft voice was calling Michaela. She was submerged in darkness, but the voice of her precious love was calling out to her. She wanted to call out to Len and tell him that she was right here. That voice, however, felt like it was dragging her up from the obscurity that surrounded her.

From her closed eyes, she could see the gentle sunlight filtering through. A shadow mildly obstructed her view, which she believed was Len. "_All my acts of treachery should be paid by my death, so I will die for you…_" Miku heard. Len's voice seemed it was changing in reverse. A young man's voice should go lower, but his voice seemed to be changing in the other direction. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"I believe, that's my fate," a young female voice said.

The young man was not holding Michaela. Instead, it was the young blonde angel she hadn't seen in the longest time. Her blue eyes were teary, but a gentle smile was on her face. She was wearing black, the exact same outfit as Len, and, instead of her bangs braided, they were free and swooping from the part on the right. Petite cleavage peeked out from the open shirt. Her black-gloved hand gently brought the woman away so they could look at each other eye to eye.

Miku couldn't believe her eyes. The angel she had been yearning to see had finally appeared before her. But, why was she dressed like Len? She took a breath, "Ri—"

However, before Miku could finish the name, Rin disappeared. In her place, lightly floating towards the ground, was a black feather. She reaches her hand out to the freefalling feather, and brought it close to her. There was a strange sensation going through her, almost like a realization.

Rin, the young blonde angel that loved her secretly, and Len, the young blond man that loved her openly, were the exact same person. And she loved both of them the same.

She screamed, clutching the feather even closer. Hunching over and crying, Miku had memories flowing through her. With all of these wondrous memories, how could she have not made the connections sooner?

"_Len, why do you have these scars on your back?" Michaela asked softly. The afterglow had barely begun for the two. The event that had just occurred was amazing, yes, and now it was time for insecurities to dissipate between the two. Presently, the teal-haired bride was sitting up, gently stroking the bare back of the younger male. Just inside his shoulder blades was the fibrous tissue._

"_They only look and feel like scars, but it's only my birthmark. At least, that's what I like to think of them as. I had an accident when I was younger, and these marks never healed properly," the blond explained._

_Leaning over, the teal-eyed woman brought her lips to the marks. The blond started before relaxing. "They're still sensitive, it seems," Miku said softly, a teasing smile crossing her lips._

_Quickly, the teal-haired woman found herself again pinned under the blond. His blue eyes began to stare deep into hers. Her hands reached around him, resting on his back. Her fingers floated just over the scars, but their presence was quite evident. "Don't forget," Len said softly, provocatively, "that I can find every single sensitive spot on your body. I already know where a lot of them are."_

_The smile changed to a smirk, "Is that a challenge?"_

* * *

"_I'm…I'm completely in love with you, Len."_

_The blond's hand cupped her cheek again. "Michaela…" he whispered before leaning in to meet her lips. The two shared a chaste kiss. As they pulled away from each other, their fingers intertwined, a gentle smile crossed both their lips._

"_Please, call me Miku when we're like this," the bride said, formally granting permission for him to use her nickname._

"_Miku…" the blond said, bringing their foreheads together and closing his eyes, "although we've gone outside protocol, will you still spend the rest of your days with me?"_

_The woman also closed her eyes, "I promise. Until the end of time."_

* * *

"…_Oh!" Miku gasped when she realized what she had said, her own face flushing as well. "Oh, dear me, not like that at all! To do that…without being married…it's not appropriate!" she flushed a little deeper when she considered her company, "Especially with another female…"_

"…_No, I understand," Rin said, her voice faltering ever so slightly. "We'll merely be sharing the bed, actually sleeping. And…you'll have to forgive my wings." Said wings spread out slightly before folding back in, almost like that of a bird's._

"_Now that I think about, you've always had your wings."_

"_To give up one's wings is to give up one's right of being an angel," Rin said, almost proudly. "It rarely occurs that an angel will sacrifice their wings. However, if it does occur, it's in a forbidden situation."_

"_Forbidden?" Miku asked. Her voice wavered slightly, "How so?"_

"…_Miku," Rin said softly, facing the teal-haired woman, "how do you feel about me?"_

"_Huh? Where did this question come about from?" the human said, honestly confused._

"_Please," the blonde said, almost desperately, "just answer."_

"_Well…I love you, Rin."_

_Once again, a blush crossed Rin's face. _

"_You're like the younger sister that I never had while growing up."_

_The way the angel's eyes seemed to shine differently after saying that never set off signals in Miku's mind._

* * *

"_You poor thing!" the woman said softly, comfortingly. As she pulled away from the angel, she reached for gauze and lightly wrapped it around the angel's arm. "Please, feel free to stay as long as you like," she offered, a smile crossing her features again. "There's no one here besides me, and I do get quite lonely."_

_The angel blinked her blue eyes once…twice…and resumed to looking at that spot on the carpet. "Thank you…um…."_

_The woman covered her mouth, "Oh, pardon my manners! My name is Michaela. However, everyone's called me Miku for as long as I can remember, so please, use my nickname."_

"_Miku," the angel said, testing the name on her tongue. "Thank you, Miku. My name is Rin."_

"_Rin…" Miku said, letting the solitary name ring through the quiet of the house, "that's such a beautiful name. It almost reminds me of a bell."_

"_I think yours is much more beautiful!" Rin said quickly. The blush on her face changed to red._

_However, Miku could feel a blush of her own appear on her own face. "…Thank you," she said softly, "Rin…"_

As she remembered everything that had occurred between the two (or would it be three?) of them, she failed to notice a new presence in front of her. "Michaela," the voice said softly.

The teal-haired woman, knowing that she must be looking awful, raised her head. She saw her brunet husband. Miku gave another sob, "John…"

"Where is the young man?" he asked. The look in his eyes barely showed any emotion to his bride. If there was one that Miku could pick out, it was betrayal.

"H-he's gone. He'll never come back," the woman replied, looking at the black feather in her hand. She couldn't bring herself to look at her husband's eyes. _She_ was the one who betrayed him, and she should be the one who feels guilty. Michaela was the one who ran off after the wedding with another man, and she was the one who slept with that other man.

To her surprise, her husband kneeled down to her and cupped her face in his hands. They merely stared at each other, as if trying to speak without vocal communication. John brought his lips to her brow, lightly kissing her. The bride gave another sob. Her husband wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Reflexively, Michaela was brought in closer, still crying.

"Even if he is gone," John said softly, "that won't stop my lawyer from coming here and asking you to sign the divorce papers."

Miku pushed him away. Her tears began to flow again in overdrive. "You too, John? Is everyone leaving me?"

The brunet sighed, "If I had it my way, I would give you another chance. However, both of our parents agreed to us getting a divorce the second you left the church." The teal-haired woman covered her face with her hands, sobbing harder. "I still love you, Michaela, but I do have to agree. You'd…been acting different. We were close while courting and after we got engaged, but before the wedding, something changed. You're no longer in love with me, if you even were in the first place."

"I did, at first," Miku said, "but then I met that person that changed everything."

"Was it that man?"

A sad smile came over her face, "Yes…but then again no."

John had an air of confusion about him, "There was more than one man?"

"No, there was only one man, but he was also my precious, lovely angel."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Michaela told him everything: about Rin, about Len, and how the two were the same person. She said the Rin was an angel, and that Len was technically a human, but was really Rin without her wings and had undergone a change. She emphasized that the entire time that she was with Len, she never knew that it was Rin. To her surprise, it appeared that John believed everything she said.

"What happened to him?"

"Another angel came here and…killed me. However, Len made a vow to trade his life for mine if the situation arises. That's what happened, and, just before he disappeared, I saw Rin. That's when I finally made the connection that the two were the same."

It was truly shocking to Michaela that her husband didn't have an incredulous look on her face that carried the thought of sending her to an asylum. Instead, he sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders, "If you apologize to our parents and promise to stay with me, I'm sure they won't force us to sign the divorce papers. I don't even care if you don't have feelings for me. Please, Michaela…"

Miku considered the situation. It was somewhat tempting. However, she shook her head, "I'm sorry…but I can't bring myself to do that. I only want to be with Rin…or Len, depending on which I see. I must refuse your offer. I will sign those papers." She sighed, "I wonder if I was truly in love with you, John. I still think of you as a friend, so please feel free to visit me."

John chastely kissed Michaela, for what would probably be the last time. "I'll stay until the lawyer arrives. Until then, why don't we go back inside?" Giving her a hand, John helped Michaela up. The two walked back into the house, and walked into the kitchen.

Upon walking in the door, Miku covered her mouth with her hands. Just when she thought she'd run out of tears, she found herself able to keep crying.

Len had left a wonderful surprise: an apple pie.

"Did he make this?" John asked curiously, grabbing a knife.

"I taught Rin many things during the time she was here. One thing was how to make an apple pie. However, apples have further meaning," the teal-haired woman sobbed. "They are common, mostly artistic, representation of the forbidden fruit. For an angel to love a human is forbidden. Therefore, Len was trying to tell me that our love was forbidden, and that he's actually Rin…" Crying harder than before, Miku found herself unable to continue. John placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

* * *

Michaela sat up suddenly, her wavy teal hair flying up before falling again over her shoulders. She tried to take as many deep breaths as possible, but nothing could calm what she had just saw. Her teal eyes were teary from the dream she dreamt. She looked at the clock on the wall, illuminated by what moonlight filtered in from her window. Four in the morning on August thirty-first; it was her nineteenth birthday. And she would have no one to spend it with, because the person she truly loved was gone.

She didn't have to force herself to remember the dream. It'd been the same one that appeared every night after she lost Len…Rin…them. The dream always started the same: on that day she met the blonde angel. She dreamt of their days together, always ending with the incident that still conflicted the young woman to this day. And then, on her wedding day, she met the blond man. Her most precious memory was buried there, as well as the morning where they truly announced their love.

However, there was that mysterious blue-haired angel that attacked her. Even though she was shot, her thoughts instantly drifted over to the two, keeping them as separate entities and loving both of them. When she fell into the darkness, she saw everything that brought her to that point once again. However, Len's voice calling out to her brought her back to where she was, but now in the arms of the…blonde?

There were so many things Michaela wanted to do at the moment she opened her eyes and saw her blonde angel. No matter how improper or uncouth it would be of her, the black bride wanted to perform highly inappropriate acts with the angel right there in the garden. However, she didn't even have a chance to say her name before Rin disappeared right before her eyes, leaving only a black feather behind. The feeling of realization overcame her and she began to cry.

The sweet dream always ended with Rin disappearing. It would never change. The chances of her having a life with the one she truly loved would never come true. Just as she began to wail in the dream, Michaela would wake up and begin crying as well. Her rouse at four o'clock had become habit.

There was no use trying to get back to sleep; she never could. Instead, she rose from bed and chose to get ready for the day. Loosely tying up her teal hair into a bun, she put on her black robe and headed down to the kitchen. Grabbing a ceramic teapot, Michaela filled it with water and tealeaves. She placed it over a burner on her stove before heading back upstairs to get changed. Habitually, Miku opened the closet doors and reached for a black dress. However, she paused. There was something in her closet that she failed to notice before.

It was a white satin dress that was vaguely similar to her wedding dress. However, it was nowhere near as layered or flared as much, nor did it have the roses, but it carried the same shape and sleeves. There was some black on it, however, and it came from a loose sash around the waist.

The teal-haired woman was drawn to the dress. She slowly reached for the hanger, fingers gripping around the metal. Draping the dress over her arms, she walked over to her bed and carefully spread the gown across the sheets. She went to her dresser and quickly put on undergarments. Walking back over to the dress, she reached for the zipper in the back and pulled it down. She carefully stepped into it, pulling the silk-like material up over her corset and arms through the attached sleeves, sitting just off her shoulders. She reached behind her and zipped up the dress; a perfect fit. Braiding all of her hair and bunning it up, she gave a quick look at herself in the mirror.

The teakettle began to whistle. It was time for breakfast.

* * *

"I don't think I've ever seen you wear white," the brunet said as he took his seat in Michaela's living room.

It had become customary for Michaela and her ex-husband to have high tea together once a week, always on a Thursday. It was a very platonic affair. Although they signed the divorce papers, they kept their friendship very much alive. Michaela would always make the light meal and tea, while John would bring a dessert from a nearby bakery. They talked about life and how the porcelain business was doing. John had also been introduced to a young woman, around Michaela's age, and the two had started courting. Michaela was happy for her friend, fully supporting their relationship. The young woman had become a topic of their discussions before, but the two women had never met.

"I found it in my closet this morning and decided that it would be time for a change," the teal-haired woman said as she began to pour tea into the cups. "How's life been, John? How's Miss Lilianne doing?"

Adding a bit of sugar to his tea, John responded, "It's been fine. Business is booming for porcelain. Miss Lilianne…well…I invited her to come over." When teal eyes became wide in surprise, the brunet explained himself, "It was sudden! I never intended to without telling you first, but she asked why I couldn't see her every Thursday. I answered her and asked if she wanted to come over."

A doorbell interrupted the explanation. John quickly got up and began to walk to the hall, but paused at the doorframe. "Should I ask her to leave?" he asked, somewhat embarrassed.

A light giggle escaped Miku's lips, "No, it's fine. She came all this way; why turn her away?"

John ran to the door, opening it, "Ah, sorry, Miss Lilianne. Please, this way."

Michaela nearly jumped out of her seat when she laid eyes on her friend's companion. She had blonde hair, longer than the length Michaela was used to, pulled up into a tail. A black ribbon kept it tied into place. There were four black pins in her hair: two across her bangs to keep them out of her face and another two on the side. She had blue eyes, the exact same shade as two pairs that Miku loved. She wore a yellow dress lined with black lace. Her black boots clicked against the ground.

"Miss Michaela, I presume?" the blonde asked, a smile forming across her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Lilianne Clark."

"Charmed, Miss Lilianne. Michaela Hattenson," the teal-haired woman reached out a white-gloved hand. White satin met black satin, and the two gently touched.

Miku felt nothing. The similarities were remarkable but, unlike when she first saw Len, there were no romantic feelings towards her ex-husband's partner. Pulling her hand back, "Pardon me, I'll get additional cups and plates, as well as the dish." Quickly, she walked into the kitchen. She began to prepare the sandwiches, organizing them on the platter.

"Michaela, what's wrong?" the male's voice asked. She didn't even hear him walking towards the kitchen.

"I'm…sorry, John, but they're too similar."

"What do you mean?"

Miku turned towards the brunet, tears forming in her eyes, "Miss Lilianne looks almost exactly like Rin. She's taller and has longer hair, but the features are there. Their hair color…and eyes…everything is the same!"

John gave an expression like he was berating himself. "Michaela…I'm sorry. If I had known, I wouldn't have asked her to come over."

"No, you didn't know. It's fine," the woman said as she wiped her teal eyes. A soft smile crossed her pink lips, "She's a lovely woman, John, just as you described her. I wish you and her the best."

"Thank you, Michaela," the brunet said, a smile appearing on his face as well. "Would you like a hand?" Instantly, the white-dressed woman handed him the sandwich platter while she grabbed a teacup, saucer, and plate. The two began to head back to the living room.

The gentle glow of candles surprised Miku. Standing by a cake was the blonde, a smile on her face. "Master John asked if I could do this. Happy nineteenth birthday, Miss Michaela."

Still holding the china, Michaela walked over to the cake. There were nineteen candles around the circular vanilla cake. Inhaling deeply, she blew out all of them in a singular breath. Closing her eyes, she made a quick wish.

Her two guests applauded lightly as she set the china down on the table. "Thank you, both of you."

"Miss Michaela," the blonde asked, a mischievous smile crossing her lips, "what did you wish for?"

A sad, yet gentle smile crossed Miku's lips. "I made a vow to the person I love. I vowed that we'll meet again."

* * *

The three dined on the light sandwiches and cake, the tea complementing both perfectly. The couple left shortly after five, leaving the teal-haired woman alone in her house. The day had been long. Perhaps she should just skip supper and turn in early; she'd been up since four, so it should be fine.

Starting the water in the footed tub, she headed back to her bedroom to change into her robe and let her hair down. When she got back, the water was at just the right level for her to go into. Shedding her robe, she stepped into the tub. Instantly, her thoughts shot back to that one day…

"_Wait, we're both going to go in…without clothes?" the blonde asked, a furious blush crossing her face._

_A mildly embarrassed smile crossed Michaela's lips. "Well, yes. If it bothers you, you can go first."_

_Rin shook her head, "It's fine. I just didn't…expect…that." Hesitantly, she began to take her white clothes off._

"_When you're ready," Miku said, "feel free to sit across from me." The teal-haired woman was already sitting in the bathtub, her legs drawn towards her chest. Reluctantly, the blonde joined her, a furious flush still across her face. Teal eyes watched the blonde carefully. She was fidgeting in the most adorable manner. Mischief filled her. Without warning, she pounced onto the smaller female, "You are so adorable, Rin!"_

"_M-mi-miku! Please, get off me!"_

"_Never! Not until you relax!"_

"_Please, stop! Ahhh!" the blonde groaned. Taken aback by the sudden vocalization, the teal-haired woman let the angel go. Her blush was red._

_Concern was the first thing that came to Michaela's mind. "I'm sorry, Rin! Did I crush your wings? Are you hurt?"_

_Catching her breath, Rin sat up. "No, I'm…I'm fine. I was just surprised by your sudden outburst."_

"_Sorry," Miku said, lowering her eyes. Slowly, she began to reach up to blonde locks and began to scrub lightly at Rin's scalp. Upon feeling the angel tense, Michaela spoke soft words to calm her. "Don't worry…just let me get the shampoo and clean your hair…"_

Michaela sunk herself into the tub, her chin just grazing the surface of the water. She knew what those blushes meant after the fact. Whether or not anything came from that, it was still true that Rin carried feelings for her back then. The teal-haired woman brought her hands to her face. '_Why couldn't you notice her feelings sooner, you fool? Did you know about them, but denied to return them because of society's standards? Or were you just too blind?_'

The water had begun to get too deep into her, pruning her skin slightly. She grabbed her towel and began to dry herself. She put her robe back on before tending to her long hair. Miku walked back to the bedroom, and grabbed a comb to start combing her hair. She braided it loosely, not even bothering to tie the end, and then walked to her escritoire.

There was a quill pen sitting next to an inkwell. Picking it up, teal eyes gazed at the black barbs. She grazed her fingers over its softness. It was the only thing she had left from her blonde angel. Out of all of her writing instruments, she gave it the greatest care. The first step to keeping it in pristine condition was to never use it; it was only there for appearances and nothing more.

"Good evening, Rin," she said softly. "I decided to dress in white today. I don't remember ever having the dress, but I probably had it for a while and just never wore it. I decided that it's time for a change, now that I'm nineteen. Oh, that's right. Today's my nineteenth birthday. John and his companion, Miss Lilianne, came over and celebrated it with me. She's a lovely woman, and I wish her and John the best in life."

It had become another habit of Miku's to have conversations with the blonde. Even if they were one-sided and appeared somewhat schizophrenic, it gave her comfort. "Miss Lilianne…had you been visibly closer to my age and had longer hair, I think that you could have looked like her. It was almost like you were with me…but it wasn't the same. I wish that you could have spent my birthday with me…as Len or as Rin." A solitary tear ran down her cheek. Upon feeling it run, she paused and wiped it away. "Do you want to hear what my wish was? It wasn't really a wish, mind you, but I made a vow. Just as you made a vow to be with me, I'm returning it. I want to be with you. I believe that we'll meet again, Rin. I don't know when that'll be, but wait for me, okay?"

She waited for a reply that would never come. Bringing the feather to her lips, she gently kissed it before setting it back down on the small desk. Changing into her nightgown, she blew out the candles and headed to bed.

* * *

On an early September day, just after her nineteenth birthday, Michaela Hattenson was found dead in the study of her house.

A gun, one that was believed to come from the open box on her desk, was in her hand. An autopsy found that there was a gunshot wound in her head.

She wore a white dress extremely similar to a black one she wore at her wedding.

When her ex-husband was asked questions on if he knew anything, he merely told investigators that she died from a broken heart. He said that he had nothing to do with her death. Her death was deemed a suicide, and nothing more.

_

* * *

Teal eyes opened slowly. It was surprising how quick her death was. The last things she remembered were closing her eyes, pulling the trigger, and the sound of the gunshot. Aside from that, it wasn't that painful._

_Michaela looked around. It was a strange, misty landscape. It was neither day nor night, but it could have been one or the other at the same time. Everything seemed so monochrome. Even her black wedding dress seemed to blend in perfectly with the surroundings. She blinked, knowing that she was wearing the white dress instead of the black one. Brushing her teal bangs out of her line of vision, she took notice of the ring on her left hand. She had thought that the pyxie ring was destroyed…_

_Something new was in her right hand. A large red apple sat perfectly in her palm. It seemed to have some shine to it, but it would be hard to judge in this monotony. Its glossy red skin tempted the teal-haired woman to take a bite into its juicy flesh, but she knew better. She already knew what that forbidden fruit tasted like._

"_Miku," a female voice called out. Slowly, the teal-haired bride turned, and covered her mouth in surprise._

_Standing just a short distance away, and steadily coming closer, was Miku's blonde angel. She was dressed in her white outfit, and her wings were on her back once again. There was an apple in her right hand as well, but it was colored a deeper red, almost black. A soft smile was on her face._

_Michaela found it hard to talk. She'd been dying to see her angel in so long and had so much to say, but the minute they meet again, she found herself speechless. When she finds her voice, only one word comes out: "…Rin?"_

"_It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Rin said softly, now standing face to face with the black bride._

"_I'm sorry that I didn't figure it out sooner!" the teal-eyed woman apologized. "Len…no, you were giving me all the signs, but I couldn't interpret them until after the fact."_

"_Len is the same entity as me," Rin said. For a brief moment, she changed her appearance to look like the young man, hair tied back and black clothes. "If you wish for me to be in this form, I can change it at will," he said before changing back to the female angel._

_The black bride shook her head. "If you're both the same, then it doesn't matter what form you take. Rin…I love you. I was foolish and believed too much into the standards of society to think that I couldn't love you. However, when you were gone, I blamed myself and missed you more than my fiancé. When you came back as Len…then I discovered the attraction. I was in love with you, and I'm still in love with Len."_

_Softly, Miku began to cry, but stopped when a finger rested just under her eye, catching a drop. The black apple had been dropped, but landed on the ground softly before rolling away a short distance. "I've loved you since we first met, Miku. My feelings are the same, when I'm Rin and when I'm Len. Even if I changed into a third form, I would still love you with the exact same feelings that I've had since the start." _

_Yellow-painted fingers found their way into teal locks, guiding the slightly taller woman towards the angel's lips. Their pink lips locked together in a perfect way, even in such a chaste form. Black gloved arms wrapped around a bare waist, hands and apple resting just above the blonde angel's wings. The angel's hand left Michaela's hair, both now resting on a shoulder each. When both were out of breath, they separated. Teal gazed into blue, loving smiles on both their faces._

_For a brief moment, the outfits of the two females changed. Michaela found herself in her new favorite white dress. Rin, on the other hand, was dressed as Len, the clothes dyed by the new color. Rin was visibly taken aback by the change, but as it faded, she looked at her love. "My vow has been fulfilled," Michaela said. "We met again."_

_Miku's red apple glistened in the gray light. The two females looked at it, no longer able to hold off the temptation. Holding it between them, the two lovers gently took bites from opposite sides. The taste was truly that of a delicious fruit, but it wasn't the forbidden taste that either wanted. This one could be finished. They would have all of eternity to find that fruit that was forbidden, yet succulent to both of them._

* * *

A/N: That's that. Clandestine is now complete. Thank you for those who have read and reviewed during the process, and now thanks to those who have read and review this after its conclusion. I will not be leaving this fandom for a while, so please expect more from my crazy mind.

Maybe I'll write a story where Rin and Len switch places like that…only they'd be separate entities and not the same…

I would also like to state that, as I wrote this final chapter, I discovered that Suzunosuke-san collaborated more with Hitoshizuku-P-san and a doujinshi is done. If you're cool and live in Japan, you can actually get your hands on this. The site the two recommend to order it doesn't ship outside Japan, as does a couple people on Yahoo Auction Japan. If you have a pixiv account, you can view some preview pages here: www(dot)pixiv(dot)net(slash)member_illust(dot)php?mode=manga&illust_id=10467756&type=scroll

(All I can say is: _duuuuuuucks…_or swans….but I kinda think they're ducks since they don't have long necks…but then again, I _never_ see swans unless I'm at the zoo…)

Also, although I doubt any of you read over at my livejournal (which you can find at my profile, and then "Webpage"), but there was an omake and special bonus picture I shared with friends. ^^ I chose to share the cover of the doujinshi, so if you have time, feel free to drop by and see it!

Thank you again! I look forward to seeing some of you again some other time!

LVT~

_**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for what would appear as a "repost" but I found out something important involving this song! It turns out that with the purchase of the doujinshi above comes a CD which has "Himitsu ~Kuro no Chikai~" and a new Miku song, "Himitsu ~Shiro no Chikai~". makotokusanagi2010 on YouTube had posted the romaji and kanji lyrics to the latter on her lyrics blog, Vocalochu. After throwing the kanji through translators and dictionaries, as well as being caught red-handed by **__**VocalRaynbow**__** (you were right…), I decided to rewrite the last chapter with this new information. I have deleted the previous chapter three, pushing everyone's reviews back. If you can't review on this chapter, feel free to leave an anonymous one under your username and I'll get back to you. ^^**_

_**A couple notes on the new stuff. As "kuro" means black, "shiro" means white. In contrast to the angel's black vow, the maiden makes a white vow. I chose to make this change by having Miku start wearing white. There is a version of "Himitsu ~Mushoku no Chikai~" (the doujinshi, but in this case, I'm talking about the cover) where Rin and Miku wear white instead of black…**_

_**Lilianne is another nod to "Aku no Musume ~Seien no Gemini~". It's the princess's name. Why yes, I love the Aku no Monogatari. And no, it's not Lily, although I could have been evil and do that, but that's a different Rin. Act2, anyone? xD**_

_**(Now, if only I could get my hands on this song…)**_

_**LVT~**_


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